The Ifugao Schools Division Office has established eight community libraries in the province to enhance the learners’ reading competency and develop a love for reading.
Imelda Licyag, Education Program Supervisor in English of the Department of Education-Ifugao, said the initiative was made through the Project Bidbid, a local term for reading. Bidbid also stands for Bridging Individual Difficulty by Innovating Designs in Reading.
“With this project, we are looking into the individual difficulty (of the learners) and not as a group. All schools are mandated to see the individual reading difficulty of the learners and provide interventions based on the individual needs,” Licyag said.
She added the project’s main objectives are to improve and address the reading gap of the learners and develop their love for reading.
She said even before the Covid-19 pandemic, there was already a problem with the learners’ reading skills, which became worse when the pandemic hit.
Project Bidbid continued during the modular learning setup by teachers who remotely conducted individual assessments and reading interventions.
Licyag said teachers are fulfilled when they are able produce learners who can read.
“If all of us will do our part, we see these learners to be readers. Definitely, we will be gone. At least, we have this group of learners who can read. (If a learner can read), the learner can succeed with his/her studies,” Licyag said.
The community libraries are situated in elementary schools in different districts or communities lacking reading materials.
One of the community libraries is housed at Magulon Elementary School (ES) in Barangay Magulon, Lamut, which benefits 130 students from kindergarten to grade 6.
The community library, which was launched in March, is also being used by the students under the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of Magulon.
Lotis Mendoza, Kindergarten teacher and community library in-charge at Magulon ES, said they have seen improvements in the reading and comprehension of their students after establishing the community library.
“Their spelling skills are also deve-loped. Through reading, the student can observe the spelling of the terms,” Mendoza added.
Mendoza said they do not allow books to be borrowed overnight due to the inadequate number, but she added they are willing to open on weekends when parents request them to.
The other community libraries are at the Itab Integrated School (Aguinaldo District), Kalimag ES (Alfonso Lista District), Asipulo Central School (Asipulo District), Kinakin ES (Banaue District), Daligan ES (Kiangan District), Mayban Primary School (Mayoyao District), and Impugong ES (Tinoc District).
Three community libraries will also be launched at Piwong ES (Hingyon District), Hapaw ES (Hungduan District), Hudog National High School (Lagawe District), and Lawig ES (Lamut District).
Licyag encouraged donors to donate books and Smart TVs to be installed in the community libraries that will serve as e-libraries to encou-rage more learners to read. For interested donors, the School Division Office in Lagawe, Ifugao, is open for dropping or receiving of book or cash donations to strengthen and widen Project Bidbid’s reach. – Crael B. Lawa
